FORGOTTEN footage of Richard Burton has been unearthed on the 25th anniversary of his death, showing the screen legend revealing a wealth of behind-the-scenes Hollywood tittle-tattle.

FORGOTTEN footage of Richard Burton has been unearthed on the 25th anniversary of his death, showing the screen legend revealing a wealth of behind-the-scenes Hollywood tittle-tattle.

In a fascinating insight into A-list life, the 54-year-old lifts the lid on hanging out with Humphrey Bogart, lunching with Lauren Bacall, living with Liz Taylor and touching Greta Garbo’s knee.

It was September 1980 when the star gave award-winning chat show host Dick Cavett the celebrity interview of his life.

His hair was thinner than it had been. And the sunken cheeks of his pockmarked face showed the ravages of a lifetime’s hard drinking and heavy smoking. But that didn’t stop Burton cutting a fearsome figure and entertaining The Dick Cavett Show audience in THAT voice for half an hour.

When Yale-educated Cavett quizzed him about the actress’s knee incident, Burton stated: “It was absolutely marvellous!”

And one of the highest-paid actors of his time, commanding up to $500,000 a film, revealed how he came to meet the depressive recluse who conducted no interviews, signed no autographs, and never answered fan mail – and didn’t recognise her.

Clad in grey suit, thin dark tie, light shirt and black boots, dashing Burton said: “Years ago I went to a party in Hollywood and there were about 20 people there.

“There was this lady there, about 40 years old I thought, which seemed to be then about 100 years old, because I was only 25 or 26.

“But I found her absolutely fascinating. And I told her some, what I thought, were funny stories, and she thought they were funny too.

“And she told me some. And they were, to my surprise because she looked so much like a lady, slightly rude.”

Five times married Burton leaned over as if to touch Cavett’s knee, continuing: “I then went over to my (then) wife Sybil and I said, ‘I’ve just met the most fascinating woman – that lady over there.’

“She said, ‘That’s Greta Garbo!’

“I said, ‘Oh my God.’ I had never seen her in my life.”

Referring to Burton’s childhood in Pontrhydyfen, South Wales, Cavett quipped: “Where did you grow up? A mine?”

Soon he was telling Cavett drinking stories but these boozy tales featured Humphrey Bogart, revealing that the Casablanca icon was fond of practical jokes.

He recalled being at a party with a Hollywood lawyer who liked escorting “between-marriages stars”. As usual the legal eagle was chatting up women on the dancefloor.

Burton said: “Bogey said, ‘Let’s just stare at him, the two of us’. That’s all we did.

“Those awful baleful eyes of Bogey. He was drinking brandy and benedictine. And neither of us took our eyes off this guy. And he is dancing around the floor.

“Finally you can see the fellow fall apart and he left and went and sat quietly in the corner.

“He just picked out that man and realised what sort of chap he was.”

Another time Burton was Bogey’s victim.

He and Lauren “Betty” Bacall – Bogart’s wife – tried to play a joke on him while the couple were at London’s Dorchester Hotel. Bacall convinced Burton to don Bogart’s pyjamas so her husband would see when he walked through the door.

Burton said: “Bogey came home from work and he passed me and he said, ‘Hi kid,’ and he went into the next room.

“I felt such a fool. He hadn’t said anything.”

Maltese Falcon director John Huston joined them before Bogey and Bacall strolled back in.

“A joke has never fallen flatter in all my life,” said Burton. “Eventually I had to say, ‘Bogey, I’m wearing your pyjamas!’

“He said,‘So you are. Take them off.’

Hollywood was never the same for the Welshman after Bogart and Bad Day at Black Rock legend Spencer Tracy died. But Burton, who had just four years left to live, insisted he “still enjoyed it”.

During the interview, Liz Taylor – who is this week recovering from heart surgery – was backstage. The pair’s second fiery marriage had broken down four years earlier in 1976.

Quizzed about her, adoring Burton said: “She shall forgive me for saying she is a woman of infinite variety.

“I’ve talked about her so much in the last 20 years, she is getting tired of what I’ve to say about her.

“I like her very much and she likes me. And I think she’s one of the most underrated screen actresses that ever lived. And I think she is one of the best that ever lived at her very finest.

“The press, I think, are deceived by her great beauty and can’t believe someone so pretty can act as well. But there is no question she is a superb screen actress.”

He added: “People will realise she was before her time.”

Burton even name dropped writers and “marvellous talkers” Brendan Behan and Dylan Thomas.

Burton himself wrote a diary, extracts of which were published in magazines. Ever happy for a quick buck, he told Cavett these went wherever “paid the most”.

The presenter, who broadcast on national television in the US for five decades, said of the unearthed tape: “I should NOT have accepted a pay cheque for getting to sit next to, and be entertained by, Richard Burton.”

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